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Bills: New Stadium or Renovation?


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Umm...... I live in Cobb County.

 

I have mixed emotions, but that was a pretty biased group of articles. The facts may have been correct, but the angry slant almost made it annoying to read. The new stadium is less than 3 miles from my house, but in a way that my immediate area won't be affected by traffic. It's near where the ticket buyers live and surrounded by restaurants, shops and bars (as opposed to blight). I'm looking forward to the new amenities surrounding the stadium and the 365 day/year shuttle going in the area. I am NOT looking forward to game day traffic if I need to go that way (I'll need a new route to the gym). I doubt I'll feel any financial impact whatsoever. (Not that it won't exist, but I won't FEEL it at all.)

I'm glad to hear your side of the story, because your correct the Deadspin take was definitely negative. It could have been written by Sully of The Buffalo News LOL

 

Can Kirby even own both wine and cheese in the same city at the same time?

As long as it doesn't involve Canada I think he's good.

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If this was presented to the Common Council then it would be public record and would be reported by the Buffalo News. But my spidey sense tells me that this writer found the story from a few years ago when a developer made a pitch for a lakefront stadium at the outer harbor. A project the Bills publicly said they weren't interested in.

 

So Internet recycling old story as scoop.

Edited by PromoTheRobot
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If they renovate like Chicago, the team would have to play in an NFL approved stadium for a season at least. The overhaul would take months and would enable the team to play at the stadium while construction was going on.

 

With no potential sites in WNY odds are the team would play in Hamilton or Syracuse.

 

Even a year in Toronto.

 

Renovation would be a no. A new stadium will be built.

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If they renovate like Chicago, the team would have to play in an NFL approved stadium for a season at least. The overhaul would take months and would enable the team to play at the stadium while construction was going on.

 

With no potential sites in WNY odds are the team would play in Hamilton or Syracuse.

 

Even a year in Toronto.

 

Renovation would be a no. A new stadium will be built.

UB Stadium holds 30K

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I'm glad to hear your side of the story, because your correct the Deadspin take was definitely negative. It could have been written by Sully of The Buffalo News LOL

The more I think about it, the more that article ticks me off. Almost everyone I know is excited for the new stadium (and the things going up around it), but are definitely concerned about traffic. It's just a vocal minority complaining about the financial end. Was the process to decide this behind closed doors and sketchy? Absolutely! But most people that I know are happy about it. If you like the result, ignore how the sausage was made. I'm not taking a stand on the big picture of public financing for stadiums, just saying people here are generally happy about it.

 

PS - the article complains about funding for schools but doesn't mention that when you turn 62 in Cobb county the school board portion of your property taxes goes away. At a neighborhood party shortly after moving here one guy was joyously celebrating his birthday because his property taxes went from $7,500/yr to $2,500/year. Yeah, it's THAT much. They can find funding if they need it for schools.

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The more I think about it, the more that article ticks me off. Almost everyone I know is excited for the new stadium (and the things going up around it), but are definitely concerned about traffic. It's just a vocal minority complaining about the financial end. Was the process to decide this behind closed doors and sketchy? Absolutely! But most people that I know are happy about it. If you like the result, ignore how the sausage was made. I'm not taking a stand on the big picture of public financing for stadiums, just saying people here are generally happy about it.

 

PS - the article complains about funding for schools but doesn't mention that when you turn 62 in Cobb county the school board portion of your property taxes goes away. At a neighborhood party shortly after moving here one guy was joyously celebrating his birthday because his property taxes went from $7,500/yr to $2,500/year. Yeah, it's THAT much. They can find funding if they need it for schools.

In a way that was my original point. Because one of the first thing you'll here hear is the county and NYS should spend the money on schools etc. it's already being said from the last 'fix up". While I'm sure that Pegula will contribute to the project he'd be a fool to pay the tab on his own, and I think he's smarter than that and his loyalty is only going to go so far.

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Did not want to start a new thread since it is an older Mike Rodakent article:

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/buffalo-bills/post/_/id/24980/afc-east-qa-where-does-ralph-wilson-stadium-rank-among-nfl-venues

 

 


James Walker, Miami Dolphins reporter

With that said, Ralph Wilson Stadium doesn't bother me one bit. I enjoy the nostalgic feel to it, and when I'm there it often reminds me of the 1990s Bills games that I watched on television growing up. It doesn't have the modern bells and whistles. So I would rank Buffalo's stadium in the middle of the pack or early 20s.

 

Mike Reiss, New England Patriots, reporter:

While those are all examples of an older venue, covering games in Orchard Park ranks among the top of the list for me because of the throwback feel, the passion of the fans and a reminder that as time passes some things don't change. Newer isn't always better.

 

Rich Cimini, New York Jersey Jets, reporter:

To me, it's all about the view from the press box, the accessibility to the locker room and the size of the locker room. The Bills score low grades in all three areas. They used to have a great press-box view at the 50-yard line, but they sold out to the corporate muckety-mucks (like most every team), turning the press box into luxury suites. Now we're in a remote corner of the stadium, so far from the field that we might as well be watching from Niagara Falls.

 

Which corporate muckety-mucks are in former press box area?

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With no potential sites in WNY odds are the team would play in Hamilton or Syracuse.

The Carrier Dome is not up to NFL standards, that's why you don't see them ever consider playing a preseason game there, let alone a regular season game.

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I used to think a downtown stadium was an inevitability, but there are multiple reasons it may not be feasible with the economic state of WNY. Logistically and from an experience standpoint, the Ralph will always be better with renovations. The costs remain lower, they can certainly really improve the amenities inside and out, and creat even outside restaurants / bars for those wanting to be near to the stadium.

 

In essence, I don't have skin in the game as we fly up for one game a year. I also don't pay NYS taxes. I personally love the Ralph and go to games in newer nicer stadiums, but there is nothing like the Ralph. I'd rather have Pegula sell the naming rights to some corporation, when we become a playoff team again as we'll get more national games.

 

I truly believe if we did become a perennial playoff team, the media would love to market the Bills on national games.

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Someone pointed out to me that the reason the NFL wants Buffalo to build a new facility in the city, is to cut down on all the wild partying involving alcohol and drugs. Would it be a probable supposition that 30 percent of persons driving out of RWS on GameDay are legally intoxicated? Most NFL facilities do not have this problem at least to the extent that Buffalo does. They really need to do something before someone is killed. It is a lawsuit waiting to happen. Your comments appreciated.

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Should the Bills build a new stadium, or extensively renovate the Ralph like what Chicago did in 2002?

 

  1. Would they move the stadium away from the snow belt and move downtown - Last I saw the snow belt moves till it hits the Niagara county sewage line, then the chemicals dissipate it.
  2. Where would they play home games during the renovation - Cuse dome?
  3. Is a retractable roof a possibility in either renovation or new build - nope dumb idea
  4. How much would an extensive renovation cost compared to a new stadium - 1/4 - 1/2
  5. Would the state or NFL help fund the stadium - maybe a little, we paid for the one in New Jersey

 

 

 

 

I love the Ralph and the history. Put a grass field in and all will be well. Snow games are great.

 

Personally I'm getting sick of Roger 'the folly' Goodell pushing for a new stadium. Buffalo will NEVER get to host a Super Bowl. Playing inside a dome is not football and a retractable roof would be a waste of money because the thing would always be closed.

 

and I don't know about anyone else but I'm not paying PSL's

Edited by Hardcore Bills Fan
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Oh good, I was hoping that we would have a new stadium thread 0:)0:) 0:)

wow, training camp can't start soon enough.... completely worthless threads these days... rehash of "goodell wants to move the team", this stadium crap and oh, we should go get andre johnson.... geez don't people have other stuff to do?

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That's true Alf. At the end of the day, it is a privately owned company that is contractually obligated to be in OP basically until 2022. Getting a new stadium has nothing to do with alcohol consumption at the Ralph. I agree that is a real concern, but a stadium is simply about revenue.

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That's true Alf. At the end of the day, it is a privately owned company that is contractually obligated to be in OP basically until 2022. Getting a new stadium has nothing to do with alcohol consumption at the Ralph. I agree that is a real concern, but a stadium is simply about revenue.

All true.

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